Improvement in reaping and mowing machines



p the wheel D.

' UNITED STATES 'PATENT Friet-..

MCCLIYIOCK YOUNG, JR., OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN REAPING AND NIOWING IVIACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 30,276., dated October 2, 1860.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, McCLIN'rocK YOUNG, Jr., of the city and county of Frederick, and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reaping and Mowing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following. is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying dr. wings, in which- Figure I represents a perspective view of a mowing-machine. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5,1epresentk detached views, hereinafter to be referred to.

My invention relates to the combination of certain devices for the purpose of connecting` or disconnecting the cutting apparatusto or from the gearing of a harvesting-machine.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the frame of the machine. It is hung by means of the journal-boxes B to the main driving shaft or axle C, which is supported in the driving-wheels D D, which latter is firmly secured to said driving-shaft, while the former is fast and loose, as occasion may require.. The bevel-wheel E is rigid on the axle or driving-shaft C, within or close to It meshes into the pinion F ou the shaftjI, to which the crank-wheel II is connected, that vibrates the cutter-bar.

G represents a clutch-lever7 which is pivoted at s to the side of the wheel E. Its position in relation to the circumference of the wheels E and D is not a radial one, but that of the chord ofthe are of said wheels, andthe oblique or curved end of the leverG is pressed toward the inner circumference of the rim a of the wheel D by means of a spiral spring, b, the end of which passes through said lever at c, so that when the machine is moved forward, or when the driving-wheels turn in the direction of the red arrow, Fig. 2, the rim of the wheel D presses on the clutch-lever G and thus clutches the wheel D with the bevelwheel E, causing them to turn together, and consequently operate the pinion F and the cutting apparatus. Upon the machine being backed, or the wheel D being turned in the direction of the blue arrow, the rim ofthe driving-wheel D slips over the oblique end of the can then turn freely on the axle C forward,

without acting as a driving-wheel to any of the moving parts of the machine. The crankwheel II is set loosely on the shaft I, that carries the pinion F; but the ratchet f, being secured to the shaft I, bears against the pawl g of the wheel H when the shaft Iis turned, and causes the crank-wheel I-I to turn with the shaft. The pawl g can be disengaged from the ratchet f by turning it on its pivot 1, and it is held in that position by the pressureof theJ spring 7L on its end 2, which spring also holds it in gear with the ratchet, and in that position the crank-wheel II, and consequently the cutting apparatus, remains stationary when the machine is moved even forward. The iinger-bar K is secured to the finger-bar plate L by means ofthe screws 3, and the plate L is hinged to the shaft M, and can freely turn thereon; or it may be secured to said shaft, and in that case has to turn with said shaft when the finger-bar is raised or lowered.

The lever N, for raising or lowering the cutting apparatus, is secured directly to the plate L, and the driver on his seat O can operate it with facility; and as in this arrangement noV part of the frame is connected to said lever which has to be moved when the position of end of the pitman is provided with a socket or.

cups, n, which are composed of two segments secured together by the bolts o. The pitman Q is connected to the cutting apparatus also by means of a double hinge, the bent end of said pitman being inserted Within the eye p, and the shank q of said eye being secured to the sickle-bar by a bolt, r, on which it can freely turn, thus producing a universal motion. These connections, in combination with the balland-socket joint above described, allow of thel perfect Working of the entire machine in any position to which the cuttiu paratus may be adjusted.

Vhen the machine is used for reaping, the cutting apparatus may be secured rigidly to the frame by means of a chain or rope, u, one

g ap- MGGLINTOOK YOU N G, JR.

Vit-nesscs:

A. B. S'roUGHroN, E. COHEN. 

